Aman has just officially unveiled Amantaru, its first destination in Puerto Rico and fourth in the Caribbean, on a hillside above a secluded beach within Esencia, the 2,000-acre private community taking shape in Cabo Rojo on the island's southwest coast. The resort and its limited collection of three- to eight-bedroom branded residences will border a protected nature reserve and wildlife refuge, in a corner of Puerto Rico known for white sand beaches, year-round swimmable seas, salt flats and nature preserves. The name comes from the Sanskrit for "peaceful tree," and a nearby private airport with a 6,700-foot runway and private hangars will bring guests in from North America and beyond.
Esencia itself is a low-density, master-planned residential and resort community with more than three miles of Caribbean coastline, developed by Three Rules Capital in partnership with Reuben Brothers. Aman describes the property as designed to immerse guests in its coastal setting. Guests will have access to Esencia's two championship golf courses, boating off its coastline and a wide range of sporting pursuits on land and water.
Marwan Al-Sayed of MASASTUDIO is the architect, and Amantaru will be his second collaboration with Aman after Amangiri in Utah. The design draws on Puerto Rico's historic forts and its coastal landscapes. It will use natural and locally sourced materials, expansive open spaces and carefully framed sightlines so that views of the sea and the sunset run uninterrupted, a contemporary architectural language tied closely to its environment.
Inside the resort, guests will find an Aman Spa and Wellness Center, a Beach Club, racquet sports courts and a range of dining venues. The branded residences will run from three to eight bedrooms, fully serviced, and MASASTUDIO will design them in the same architectural language as the resort, with indoor and outdoor living arranged around the surrounding landscape and the southwest coast's sunsets. Owners will have access to Amantaru's facilities and signature amenities, the permanent version of what the resort offers a few nights at a time.
Esencia is anchored by Aman, Mandarin Oriental and Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, with branded residences, wellness and recreation amenities, Beach Clubs, golf, a Racquet & Field Club, equestrian facilities and trails woven through the landscape across the masterplan. Mandarin Oriental's 106-room resort and residences, designed by Studio MK27 on Boquerón Bay, is already announced there. Audubon International has approved the community to pursue Signature Platinum Certification across the entire property, a commitment that applies to all of Esencia rather than to a single resort within it.
Vlad Doronin, Chairman and CEO of Aman Group, framed the move as the next step in the Caribbean after the brand's existing properties there. "The success of our existing and renowned properties in the region has proven that there is a growing demand for a new level of exclusivity and I'm excited to bring the coveted Aman lifestyle to Puerto Rico for the first time through our exclusive collection of branded residences alongside a resort," he said. Amantaru joins a widening Aman pipeline across the Americas that includes the recently opened Amanvari in Los Cabos and the forthcoming Aman Miami Beach, Aman Beverly Hills and Amancaya in Exuma, The Bahamas. Aman was founded in 1988 with Amanpuri in Phuket and now runs 36 hotels, resorts and branded residences across 21 destinations.